I picked up How Jesus Became God by Bart Ehrman because I wanted to understand how a Jewish preacher from Galilee came to be worshiped as divine. Ehrman, a renowned historian and biblical scholar, unpacks this transformation with a historian’s rigor and a storyteller’s clarity.
The book traces the evolution of Jesus’ identity—from a charismatic teacher and apocalyptic prophet to the Son of God in Christian theology. Ehrman explores how early followers, influenced by Jewish and Greco-Roman beliefs, reinterpreted Jesus’ life and resurrection, gradually elevating him to divinity. He examines historical contexts, scriptural developments, and theological debates, challenging assumptions while respecting faith.
What struck me most was how Ehrman presents history—not as an attack on belief, but as an invitation to understand how religious ideas develop over time. He doesn’t dismiss faith but rather examines the human and cultural forces that shaped Christianity’s core doctrine. Whether one is a believer, skeptic, or just curious, How Jesus Became God offers a compelling, thought-provoking journey into the origins of Christian belief.
For anyone interested in the historical Jesus, the evolution of Christian theology, or the intersection of faith and history, this book is a good read. It challenges, enlightens, and deepens our understanding of how history and belief are intertwined.